By Tim Frizzell
Whenever we read in the newspaper or hear a news report about a young teenager who commits a crime, we wonder what went wrong in that teen’s life. Reports of extreme teenage crimes grab our attention and cause us to consider what we can do to make a difference for teenagers today. Gratefully there are many wonderful teenage Christians who are letting their lights shine in this dark world. Why do we see such a stark contrast between teens that are the same age but are worlds apart in maturity, morality, and lifestyle? I believe our lost teens are missing godly mentors in their lives. If we truly want to make a difference in the lives of teenagers and in our world, we can start mentoring young people. How can we serve as a mentor for a young person? There is no better example than that of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus took great care to mentor his twelve apostles. Some key elements of Jesus’ mentoring methods are revealed in his prayer for his apostles and disciples as recorded in John 17. Let’s notice how these mentoring practices of Jesus can help us influence the lives of teenagers today.
John 17:6 – Just as Jesus revealed his Father to the apostles, we are to point youth to God. These God lessons are learned as we allow youth to walk with us and see our lives. They hear us talk about God but more importantly they see us act like God and live for God.
John 17:8 – Just as Jesus gave his apostles the words of God, we are to encourage youth to regularly study God’s Word. I know a godly couple who devoted their lives to reaching out to troubled youth. On a daily basis this couple pointed inner city youth to the message of God’s Word. What a service they rendered by showing so many youth the true map for life!
John 17:9– Just as Jesus prayed for his apostles and taught them to pray, we are to pray for and with young people. It is no wonder so many young people struggle so desperately with life: they know nothing of the peace and relief that come through prayer. I know an elder who made a difference in the lives of many young people because he often reminded them “I’m praying for you everyday.”
John 17:12,15 – Just as Jesus kept (guarded) the apostles in God’s name, losing only Judas, we are to give spiritual protection to our youth and warn them of Satan’s traps. We must care enough to watch out for the evil predators of this world that threaten to destroy the souls of our teenagers. I know a Christian leader who has had the strength to confront teenagers about some evil practice that had taken root in their lives. His courage and compassion turned these young souls from a path of destruction.
John 17:18 – Just as Jesus sent the apostles with a mission into the world, we are to provide challenging mission and spiritual leadership opportunities for our youth. Teenagers grow spiritually when they are given opportunities to serve, share their faith, and lead for Christ. I know a preacher who developed many Christian leaders by giving teenagers the opportunity to go on ‘campaigns for Christ.’
The most important thing we can do for our teenagers is show them the love of God (John 17:23-26). Watch and you will see. Teenagers flock to those adults who genuinely love them. I enjoyed watching an elderly Christian gentleman touch the lives of some of the toughest teenagers. The door of their lives opened to him because they knew he loved them. We too can make a difference in our world by loving and mentoring teenagers.
